Toy Gun

ABSTRACT

A toy gun capable of squirting liquid and launching projectiles, the toy gun comprising or including a liquid squirting mechanism actuatable to expel liquid in a squirting manner, a projectile launching mechanism actuatable to launch a projectile, a trigger moveable between two limits, wherein movement of the trigger between its two limits can actuate both the liquid squirting mechanism and the projectile launching mechanism.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to toy guns.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There are many different types of toy guns. Water guns and guns thatlaunch projectiles (such as foam darts) are two popular types of toyguns.

A simple water gun normally includes a water reservoir, a triggeractuated pump, and a nozzle. Pulling and releasing the trigger can causethe pump to draw water from the reservoir and then expel it through thenozzle.

A simple dart gun normally includes a dart chamber, trigger, and an aircompressor. A trigger can be used to release compressed air into thedart chamber to launch the dart.

It is uncommon to see a toy gun incorporating both water gun and dartgun functionality.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved toy gun or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

It is a further or alternative object of the present invention toprovide a toy gun with both water squirting and projectile launchingfunctionality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention consists in a toy gun capable ofsquirting liquid and launching projectiles, the toy gun comprising orincluding:

a liquid squirting mechanism actuatable to expel liquid in a squirtingmanner,

a projectile launching mechanism actuatable to launch a projectile,

a trigger moveable between two limits, wherein movement of the triggerbetween its two limits can actuate both the liquid squirting mechanismand the projectile launching mechanism.

Preferably the trigger forms part of a trigger body, the trigger bodycomprising a liquid squirting mechanism actuating portion and aprojectile launching mechanism trigger portion.

Preferably the trigger and the trigger body are unitary.

Preferably when the trigger is positioned at or proximate to the firstof the two limits the projectile launching mechanism trigger portion canactuate the projectile launching mechanism.

Preferably as the trigger is moved substantially between the two limitsthe liquid squirting mechanism actuating portion actuates the liquidsquirting mechanism.

Preferably the liquid squirting mechanism includes a pump for drawingwater from a reservoir and expelling it through a nozzle.

Preferably the pump is a piston pump, and wherein one stroke of thepiston draws liquid into the pump from the reservoir and the otherstroke of the piston expels liquid from the pump and out through thenozzle.

Preferably an inlet check valve is located between the reservoir and thepump, and an outlet check valve is located between the pump and thenozzle, the inlet and outlet check valves ensuring liquid is only ableto flow in one direction through the liquid squirting mechanism.

Preferably the liquid squirting mechanism actuating portion includes apiston actuating member, and movement of the trigger between the twolimits causes the piston actuating member to actuate the piston.

Preferably the piston is biased to return to a neutral position after ithas been actuated by the piston actuating member.

Preferably the projectile launching mechanism includes a cylinder and aprojectile mechanism piston.

Preferably the cylinder and projectile mechanism piston are configuredto generate compressed air to launch a projectile.

Preferably the projectile mechanism piston is mounted to a cockinghammer, the cocking hammer being able to be move between a cockedposition and an uncocked position.

Preferably the cocking hammer is biased to the uncocked position.

Preferably the cocking hammer can be urged to the cocked position by auser of the toy gun.

Preferably the cocking hammer and the trigger body can interact in amanner so that the trigger body can at least release the cocking hammerfrom its cocked position to allow it to travel to the uncocked position.

Preferably the interaction between the cocking hammer and the triggerbody is via an intermediate release mechanism.

Preferably the intermediate release mechanism can hold the cockinghammer in its cocked position.

Preferably the intermediate release mechanism can be moved by thetrigger body.

Preferably movement of the intermediate release mechanism by the triggerbody occurs at or near the first limit of the two limits of the triggerbody.

Preferably the intermediate release mechanism is a gate through whichthe cocking hammer can slide.

Preferably the cocking hammer has a locking step located thereon, andwherein sliding the cocking hammer sufficiently to its cocked positionwill result in the engagement of the locking step with the gate to holdthe cocking hammer in the cocked position.

Preferably the gate is movable to release the locking step so that thecocking hammer can be released and urged to the uncocked position,thereby launching a projectile.

Preferably movement of the trigger between the two limits causes a gaterelease structure to move the gate to release a cocked cocking hammerfrom the gate.

Preferably the projectile is a dart.

Other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the followingdescription which is given by way of example only and with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

As used herein the term “and/or” means “and” or “or”, or both.

As used herein “(s)” following a noun means the plural and/or singularforms of the noun.

The term “comprising” as used in this specification and claims means“consisting at least in part of”. When interpreting statements in thisspecification and claims which include that term, the features, prefacedby that term in each statement, all need to be present but otherfeatures can also be present. Related terms such as “comprise” and“comprised” are to be interpreted in the same manner.

The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications,cited above and below, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changesin construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of theinvention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and thedescriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to bein any sense limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example only and withreference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the toy gun of the present invention,

FIG. 2 a shows the mechanism used to launch a projectile in its cockedcondition,

FIG. 2 b shows the mechanism of FIG. 2 a after the trigger is pulled andthe projectile has been launched,

FIG. 3 a shows the water pump mechanism,

FIG. 3 b shows the water pump mechanism of FIG. 3 a after pulling thetrigger,

FIG. 3 c shows the water pump mechanism of FIG. 3 a after releasing thetrigger,

FIG. 4 a shows the toy gun of the present invention in its cockedcondition,

FIG. 4 b shows the toy gun of FIG. 4 a after the trigger is pulled andthe projectile has been launched.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the toy gun of the present invention.The shell of the toy gun may comprise of a left shell component 1 and aright shell component 2. The various components that enable thefunctionality of the gun can be assembled inside the shell components 1and 2. The shell components 1 and 2 may be screwed and/or gluedtogether. The gun of the present invention has dual-functions; it iscapable of squirting water and launching projectiles 3. A triggermechanism described in more detail can be used to actuate bothfunctions.

The water-squirting system includes a water reservoir 10, an inlet checkvalve 19 through which water is drawn from the water reservoir 10, apiston 18 for facilitating water intake and discharge, an outlet checkvalve 22 and a water nozzle 29.

In the preferred form of the invention the water reservoir 10 is aremovable independent container, which can slot into the shell of thetoy gun. The gun shell components 1 or 2 may have a latch 5corresponding with a slot on the removable reservoir so the reservoir 10can be locked in place when it is properly located in the shell.Alternatively, the reservoir may be integral with the shell.

The water reservoir may resemble a “magazine” as would be used with agun. The reservoir 10 has an inlet 101 and an outlet 102. Inlet 101 hasan inlet valve 13, for letting air in to the reservoir to balance thepressure inside and outside of the reservoir 10. Outlet 102 has a rubberconnector 11, which is dimensioned such that a substantially air tightseal can be formed between the rubber connector 11 and the inlet checkvalve 19. The other end of the rubber connector 11 is connected to thewater tube 21 which extends to the bottom of the water reservoir 11.This configuration allows water to be drawn up through the tube 21 andrubber connector 11 and through the inlet check valve 19 into thecylinder 14.

The inlet check valve 19 may consist of a number of components as wouldbe apparent to a person skilled in the art. Such components may includea check valve core 12, O-ring 20 and an ABS connector for creating theair tight seal with the rubber connector 11. The inlet check valve 19may be connected to the cylinder 14 via a conduit.

The inlet check valve 19 is a one-way valve that allows water to bedrawn up from the reservoir and pass through it but also ensures waterthat the water only can flow in a single direction and not return backto the water reservoir 10.

The piston 18 is contained within the cylinder 14. The cylinder 14 hasan inlet conduit (connected to inlet check valve 19) and an outletconduit (connected to outlet check valve 22). The piston functions as apump to draw water from water reservoir and to eject water into thewater outlet conduit.

Water ejected from the cylinder 14 passes through the outlet conduit andthen through the outlet check valve 22. After passing through the checkvalve 22 it is expelled through the nozzle 29. The outlet check valve 22ensures water can pass through to the nozzle but not return back intothe cylinder.

The piston 18 is actuated by the liquid squirting mechanism actuatingportion 41 of the trigger body 40. A spring 15 may also be providedwithin the cylinder to “reset” the piston to its neutral position.

The projectile launching system includes a cylinder 51, projectilemechanism piston 57, spring 55 and cocking hammer 60. By pulling backthe cocking hammer 60 against the bias of the spring, the projectilemechanism piston 57 is drawn back inside the cylinder 51. Subsequentlyreleasing the cocking hammer 60 causes the spring to force theprojectile mechanism piston 57 back to its original position. As theprojectile mechanism piston 57 moves back down the cylinder the air iscompressed and forced out nozzle 54. This is what launches theprojectile 3. Such a projectile launching system would be apparent to aperson skilled in the art.

At the rear of cylinder 51, there is a gate 30 which is slidably mountedto the shell components 1 and 2. The gate 30 has a rectangular hole inthe middle through which the cocking hammer 60 passes. It also has aspring 31 that urges the gate 30 to its neutral position (i.e. theposition shown in FIG. 2 a). The cocking hammer 60 includes a step 61that interacts with the gate 30. As the cocking hammer 60 is pulled backthe gate 30 passes over step 61. The step 61 causes the gate 30 to slideagainst the bias of spring 31 until the point at which the step 61 ispulled back a sufficient amount such that the step 61 passes completelythrough the opening in the middle of the gate 30. At this point, thespring 31 may urge the gate 30 back to its neutral position andtherefore prevent the cocking hammer 60 from moving forward due to theinterference between the gate 30 and the step 61. In this position thecocking hammer is cocked and ready to be released, and the spring 55 isunder compression.

FIG. 4 a shows the gun “cocked” and ready to fire a projectile. FIG. 4 bshows the gun after the cocking hammer 60 has been released and theprojectile has been launched.

An intermediate release mechanism is provided so that movement of thetrigger can cause a cocked cocking hammer to release. The trigger body40 includes a projectile launching mechanism trigger portion fortriggering the projectile launching mechanism. In the preferredembodiment of the invention the projectile launching mechanism triggerportion is a gate release structure 42 for lifting up the gate 30. Whenpuffing the trigger, the gate release structure 42 is moved rearward andbears against the bottom surface of the gate 30 to lift it up againstits bias. When the gun has been cocked the step 61 of the cocking hammer60 will be released from the gate 30 as the gate 30 is lifted up by thegate release structure 42. This causes the cocking hammer 60 to moveforward under the action of spring 55 and therefore pushes the pistonforward which increases the pressure in the cylinder 51. Thehigh-pressure air is forced into the nozzle 54 to cause a projectile(such as a dart) to be launched, as shown in FIG. 2 b.

It should be appreciated that the trigger 40 can cause actuation of thewater squirting system (via the liquid squirting mechanism actuatingportion 41) and can simultaneously cause actuation of the projectilelaunching system (via the gate release structure 42). Therefore the gunof the present invention can be used to launch projectiles and squirtwater simultaneously, by actuation of one trigger.

It should also be appreciated that the trigger can be used to squirtwater only (i.e. when the cocking hammer 60 hasn't been cocked).Likewise the trigger can be used to launch projectiles only (i.e. whenthe water reservoir is empty).

The toy gun may be provided with a projectile holder 4 that can besupported by the shell components 1 and 2. The bullet holder 4 may holdspare projectiles (e.g. foam darts).

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to elementsor integers having known equivalents, then such equivalents are includedas if they were individually set forth.

Although the invention has been described by way of example and withreference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood thatmodifications and/or improvements may be made without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention.

1. A toy gun capable of squirting liquid and launching projectiles, thetoy gun comprising or including: a liquid squirting mechanism actuatableto expel liquid in a squirting manner, a projectile launching mechanismactuatable to launch a projectile, a trigger moveable between twolimits, wherein movement of the trigger between its two limits canactuate both the liquid squirting mechanism and the projectile launchingmechanism.
 2. The toy gun of claim 1 wherein the trigger forms part of atrigger body, the trigger body comprising a liquid squirting mechanismactuating portion and a projectile launching mechanism trigger portion.3. The toy gun of claim 2 wherein the trigger and the trigger body areunitary.
 4. The toy gun of claim 3 wherein when the trigger ispositioned at or proximate to the first of the two limits the projectilelaunching mechanism trigger portion can actuate the projectile launchingmechanism.
 5. The toy gun of claim 4 wherein as the trigger is movedsubstantially between the two limits the liquid squirting mechanismactuating portion actuates the liquid squirting mechanism.
 6. The toygun of claim 5 wherein the liquid squirting mechanism includes a pumpfor drawing water from a reservoir and expelling it through a nozzle. 7.The toy gun of claim 6 wherein the pump is a piston pump, and whereinone stroke of the piston draws liquid into the pump from the reservoirand the other stroke of the piston expels liquid from the pump and outthrough the nozzle.
 8. The toy gun of claim 7 wherein an inlet checkvalve is located between the reservoir and the pump, and an outlet checkvalve is located between the pump and the nozzle, the inlet and outletcheck valves ensuring liquid is only able to flow in one directionthrough the liquid squirting mechanism.
 9. The toy gun of claim 8wherein the liquid squirting mechanism actuating portion includes apiston actuating member, and movement of the trigger between the twolimits causes the piston actuating member to actuate the piston.
 10. Thetoy gun of claim 9 wherein the piston is biased to return to a neutralposition after it has been actuated by the piston actuating member. 11.The toy gun of claim 10 wherein the projectile launching mechanismincludes a cylinder and a projectile mechanism piston.
 12. The toy gunof claim 11 wherein the cylinder and projectile mechanism piston areconfigured to generate compressed air to launch a projectile.
 13. Thetoy gun of claim 12 wherein the projectile mechanism piston is mountedto a cocking hammer, the cocking hammer being able to be move between acocked position and an uncocked position.
 14. The toy gun of claim 13wherein the cocking hammer is biased to the uncocked position.
 15. Thetoy gun of claim 14 wherein the cocking hammer can be urged to thecocked position by a user of the toy gun.
 16. The toy gun of claim 15wherein the cocking hammer and the trigger body can interact in a mannerso that the trigger body can at least release the cocking hammer fromits cocked position to allow it to travel to the uncocked position. 17.The toy gun of claim 16 wherein the interaction between the cockinghammer and the trigger body is via an intermediate release mechanism.18. The toy gun of claim 17 wherein the intermediate release mechanismcan hold the cocking hammer in its cocked position.
 19. The toy gun ofclaim 18 wherein the intermediate release mechanism can be moved by thetrigger body.
 20. The toy gun of claim 19 wherein movement of theintermediate release mechanism by the trigger body occurs at or near thefirst limit of the two limits of the trigger body.
 21. The toy gun ofclaim 20 wherein the intermediate release mechanism is a gate throughwhich the cocking hammer can slide.
 22. The toy gun of claim 21 whereinthe cocking hammer has a locking step located thereon, and whereinsliding the cocking hammer sufficiently to its cocked position willresult in the engagement of the locking step with the gate to hold thecocking hammer in the cocked position.
 23. The toy gun of claim 22wherein the gate is movable to release the locking step so that thecocking hammer can be released and urged to the uncocked position,thereby launching a projectile.
 24. The toy gun of claim 23 whereinmovement of the trigger between the two limits causes a gate releasestructure to move the gate to release a cocked cocking hammer from thegate.
 25. The toy gun of claim 24 wherein the projectile is a dart.